City uses 800 tons of salt

WILMINGTON — “I want to make it very clear that we never ran out of salt and we were never going to run out of salt,” said City Safety/Service Director Brian Shikader.

During Thursday’s Wilmington City Council meeting, Shidaker wanted to let council and attendees know of the hard work put in by the city workers during the snowy weather. He also addressed concerns he heard about the city running out of salt to combat the ice.

“It was a tough weekend,” said Shidaker. “It was one of those situations where you had [snow] drifting and it just kept snowing. We would get a break but it was a difficult weekend.”

He said that both Wilmington and Clinton County have a supply, and that both work very well with each other. This was his indication that there was never any jeopardy of salt shortage.

“If something happened and the county needed to borrow some of our salt, we have plenty,” he said.

Shidaker told the News Journal that 800 tons of salt were used over the weekend, to be largely replenished when 600 tons arrive Friday. He also reported that the only damage reported over the weekend were two mailboxes which were replaced.

Shidaker, along with other members of council, highlighted and praised the work of the snow plow drivers.

Council member Tyler Williams commended them and the long hours they worked. Council member Kristi Fickert spoke highly of Streets Superintendent Jerry Runk when she spoke to him when he plowed her streets. And Shidaker and council member Jonathan McKay highlighted city mechanic Matt Harris for his work in maintaining the trucks.